Buchanan to stand down as Australia coach after World Cup

Monday 28 August 2006 20.26 EDT
First published on Monday 28 August 2006 20.26 EDT

For a man occasionally accused of beating around the bush, it seemed somehow fitting that John Buchanan emerged from the Queensland scrub to announce his retirement as Australia's coach, effective from the end of next year's World Cup.

Buchanan, fresh from a four-day military-style boot camp in the Beerwah State Forest, said yesterday that he felt his "shelf life" as a coach had almost expired and that he will be considering a shift to the corporate world in the near future. Intriguingly, he also left the door ajar for international coaching offers.

The announcement had been anticipated for some time and a list of candidates, headed by Australia's centre of excellence coach Tim Nielsen, have been identified. Other international coaches - Tom Moody (Sri Lanka), Bennett King (West Indies), Greg Chappell (India) and Dav Whatmore (Bangladesh) - have also been mentioned as potential successors.

With Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden nearing retirement age, the new coach will be charged with overseeing a critical phase in Australian cricket. As if to emphasise the point, Warne yesterday cryptically hinted that he may retire from Tests after the Ashes.

"It's a bit like in the early 1980s, when a lot of good players left around the same time," said Australia's longest-serving coach Bob Simpson. "This is not an easy time to take over. Australian cricket has been lucky the last few years that quality of opposition has not been quite as good as in the past, so they have been able to continue winning."

Simpson's name has been on the list of Buchanan's detractors, suggesting yesterday that Australia now needed to pick a coach with top-level playing experience and a back-to-basics approach. In other words, the opposite of Buchanan.

Buchanan's long-winded answers to seemingly straightforward questions have befuddled and bemused over the years, particularly after passages of indifferent play from Australia. In those instances, when brooding players have been reluctant to talk, Buchanan has generally been wheeled out, earning him the nickname 'Bad-news Buck'.

Since taking over from Geoff Marsh Australia have won 64 Tests, lost 10 and drawn 11. With few exceptions, they have maintained a high level of performance, even after the losses of players such as the Waugh twins and Michael Slater. He has been a tireless innovator, taking a leading role in introducing technology to coaching. Many of his theories and methods have been duplicated by rival teams.

"I think a lot of John's contributions over the past few years have been looked over, as it has for a lot of the other staff," said the captain Ricky Ponting. "They have to take a lot of credit. John's never one to go looking for acknowledgement, but the players are very aware of what he's been able to do for the team. He's the most well-planned and thorough coach, and the best manager of people that I have worked under. It's been an enjoyable time."

The contenders

3-1 Tim Nielsen, 38

Current Centre of Excellence coach and Buchanan's former deputy. Solid coaching credentials and popular with players. The early favourite.

5-1 Tom Moody, 40

Cut his teeth as Worcestershire's director of cricket. Attracting plenty of attention these days by turning a dysfunctional Sri Lankan side into a legitimate international force.

15-1 Bennett King, 41

Highly successful stints at Queensland and the Centre or Excellence. Currently assigned the difficult task of rebuilding West Indies cricket.

90-1 Greg Chappell, 58

A svengali-type who has won enormous respect for taking on the Indian board and winning over the Sourav Ganguly affair.

100-1 Dav Whatmore, 52

Not afraid of taking on international cricket's toughest coaching assignments - Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.